Integrated Aquaculture-Agriculture in Bangladesh

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The author examines the dynamics of participation in and welfare impact of integrated aquaculture-agriculture (IAA) value chain by using three-year panel data from indigenous households in the northern and north-western regions of Bangladesh. By different panel estimation methods he analyses the IAA value chain participation dynamics and indicates that education and household size, access to extensions and market information, community-based organisations (CBO) membership are positively associated with participation and continuing participation in IAA value chain activities. Welfare impact results indicate that IAA value chain participation is positively correlated to household income and consumption frequency of some goods, particularly fish. Assessment of the comparative socio-environmental impacts of rice monoculture and rice-fish based IAA practices suggests that rice-fish based IAA is a sustainable alternative to rice monoculture.

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4.1 Introduction

Despite the decreasing trends in the incidence of extreme poverty, hunger, and malnutrition in Asia this region remains home to the largest number of poor, hungry and malnourished people in the world (FAO/IFAD/WFP, 2013; ADB, 2014a). Most of these people live in rural areas furthest from roads, markets, schools, and public health services, are less likely to be educated, often belong to minority and other marginalized socio-ethnic groups, and most of them are either directly or indirectly engaged in agriculture as their primary source of livelihood (IFAD, 2003, 2011; Ahmed et. al., 2007). Markedly, agricultural intensification over the past several decades through the innovations of the GR such as high-yield seed varieties, chemical fertilisers, and modern irrigation technologies led to dramatic increases in agricultural production, livelihood improvements, and radically transformed the course of agricultural development in South and East Asia (Pender, 2007). But the impacts of the GR have also been criticized for the unintended negative long term environmental and social equity impacts and recently rice yields have been declining or remained stagnant in many parts of Asia (Pimentel and Pimentel, 1990; Pingali and Rosegrant, 1994; Kerr and Kolavalli, 1999; Das 2002; Pingali, 2012).

Like many other Asian countries, the economy of Bangladesh also largely depends on agriculture. Agriculture accounts for close to half of employment, 20% of GDP, and is the basis of food security for the entire population. Even with steady and commendable progress poverty is still widespread and continues...

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